What to expect from John Fox's first Bears team
The combination of a difficult early schedule and a team in transition will make for a rocky start to the Ryan Pace-John Fox regime.
But the hope is that by the time the calendar shows December the Bears will show they've turned the corner toward respectability. The turnaround could require a lot of patience, and it might not come until some time in 2016, but time is one thing that Pace and Fox have.
They took over an old team with limited talent that finished 5-11 last season, including five straight losses to close the season. So they won't be burdened by lofty expectations, starting with Sunday's opener against the Green Bay Packers.
While no one is exited about this Bears roster, which is still long in the tooth and short on impact players, Fox was able to put together an exceptional coaching staff, so there is a strong foundation. Here's a look at the key pieces, and how they compare to the rest of the league.
Offense
Coordinator Adam Gase was one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the off-season but came up empty, so he followed Fox from Denver to Chicago. He will have a much more difficult time building his resume with Jay Cutler running his offense than he did with Peyton Manning running the show the last two years. But, if Gase can be the one who finally gets Cutler to ascend to the next echelon of quarterbacks, he'll be hotter than ever.
Cutler's primary focus has been to reduce the league-worst 24 turnovers he surrendered in 2014. The scheme will do its part to help. Gase will run a much more run-oriented offense because that's what Fox wants.
The numbers haven't all been bad for Cutler. His completion percentage has gone up for three straight seasons, and his 28 TD passes last year were a career best. Ideally, the Bears believe fewer throws will lead to greater efficiency and fewer turnovers for Cutler.
Backup Jimmy Clausen is smart and prepared, but he remains an unknown quantity. He took a snap for the first time in four years in 2014 and even started a game but promptly suffered a concussion. David Fales' excellent effort in the fourth preseason game clinched his spot on the 53, and he could move up to No. 2 this year. (Quarterbacks grade: C.)
Matt Forte remains one of the best all-around backs in the game, and the ground game revolves around him. He can run inside or outside, and he set a league record for running backs with 102 catches last year.
But Forte will be 30 later this season and had just one run of more than 20 yards last season.
Depth is solid. Squatty, quick veteran Jacquizz Rodgers runs tougher than you'd think for a 5-foot-6, 196-pounder, and he is an effective receiver but lacks big-play speed. Not so for rookie Jeremy Langford, who has easily the best speed of the backs and provides the most excitement and the best big-play threat in the backfield. Ka'Deem Carey, a workhorse at Arizona, flashed in limited duty last season but is buried on the depth chart. (Running backs grade: B.)
Among the receivers, Alshon Jeffery has the size, strength and rangy catch radius to become the main man even without Brandon Marshall drawing attention on the other side of the field. Eddie Royal is an excellent complement with his quickness and ability to work underneath.
In his third season, Marquess Wilson is still just 22 and can become a key cog if he can stay healthy. At 6-foot-4, Wilson is a tough matchup for most corners.
And with all three nicked up and questionable for the opener, Gase might find out early in the season if he has any keepers in Josh Bellamy, Illinois State's converted quarterback Cam Meredith and return specialist Marc Mariani.
Tough and talented tight end Martellus Bennett earned his first Pro Bowl berth last year but probably not his last. Veteran Zach Miller is an excellent pass catcher if he can stay healthy, and rookie Khari Lee has potential as a blocker and receiver. (Receivers grade: B.)
On the offensive line, the lack of NFL game-ready tackles forced the late move of two-time Pro Bowl right guard Kyle Long to right tackle. If Jermon Bushrod's balky back, which has already caused him to miss a good deal of practice time, sidelines him for any length of time, there could be dire consequences.
Young tackles Charles Leno and Tayo Fabuluje aren't ready to play yet, and certainly not as protectors of Cutler's blind side.
Seven-year veteran left guard Matt Slauson is the new line leader and the best player after Long. Center Will Montgomery is solid but, at 32, the hope is that third-round pick Hroniss Grasu will take over soon but maybe not this year.
Vlad Ducasse moved into Long's old spot at right guard, but has never played up to expectations, starting just 11 games in five years. Waiver pickup Patrick Omameh started 16 games at guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. (O-Line grade C-plus.)
Defense
No one can question coordinator Vic Fangio's credentials after he oversaw the 49ers' defenses that were top five in each of the past four years. But it will take at least a couple years before he has similar talent here.
With 11-year veteran NT Jeremiah Ratliff suspended for the first three games (DUI), the defensive line is dangerously thin.
For now, the burden of anchoring the line falls on rookie nose tackle Eddie Goldman, who's coming off a concussion. On the outside, Ego Ferguson is expected to take another step after an encouraging rookie season and Jarvis Jenkins is solid vs the run.
Will Sutton, drafted in the third round last year to be a 3-technique tackle in the old 4-3 scheme, adapted better than expected to the 3-4. He and Ferguson, drafted a round earlier than Sutton in 2014, could both help out at nose, at least until Ratliff returns. Cornelius Washington may be ready to make a move in his third year, and his help will be needed. (D-Line grade: C-minus.)
At linebacker, Pernell McPhee is expected to be the centerpiece of the new defense, a role he's never played before. At the other OLB spot, the Bears hope Jared Allen will be better at his new position, which he's never played before, than he was at his familiar defensive end spot last year. Early returns are encouraging.
Inside, Shea McClellin hopes his third position is a charm, while Christian Jones, a pleasant surprise as an undrafted rookie last year, is the other ILB starter. Sam Acho and last year's leading tackler, Jon Bostic, are the top backups. (Linebackers grade: C-minus.)
In the defensive backfield, Kyle Fuller has yet to show the ability that Fox and Co. expected, but he has the tools to live up to his first-round draft status, and Alan Ball has great size but average talent.
If 32-year-old safety Antrel Rolle hasn't lost a step, he'll be an upgrade over past years, and rookie Adrian Amos appears as if he might be a fifth-round steal.
Special teams standout Sherrick McManis had an excellent camp and preseason and looks ready to step into the nickel spot. (Defensive backs grade: C.)
Special teams
Robbie Gould slumped a bit during an injury-plagued season but there's no reason to expect he won't bounce back, and punter Patrick O'Donnell should be better after a promising but inconsistent rookie season. Long-snapper Thomas Gafford has to remain consistent. (ST. grade: B-minus.)
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